Fumigant-tight flexible containers



July 17, 1956 A. H. BEEDE FUMIGANT-TIGHT FLEXIBLE CONTAINERS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 11, 1952 INVENTOR July 17, 1956 A. H. BEEDE2,755,013

FUMIGANT-TIGHT FLEXIBLE CONTAINERS Filed June 11 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR mwzm WATTQRN'EY July 17, 1956 BEEDE 2,755,013

FUMIGANT-TIGHT FLEXIBLE CONTAINERS Filed June 11 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR United States Patent FUMIGANT-TIGHT FLEXIBLE CONTAINERS ArnoldH. Beetle, Stamford, Conn., assignor to Electrolux Corporation, OldGreenwich, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application June 11, 1952,Serial No. 292,867

8 Claims. (Cl. 229-65) My invention relates to containers, commonlyknown a; garment bags, for storing and protecting clothing or the li e.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a container of thistype into and from which garments readily may be introduced and removedthrough a suitable opening, together with means for providing afumigant-tight seal for such opening.

Another object of my invention is to provide a garment bag, including asupporting frame which maintains the walls of the bag in spaced relationduring use, which may be folded into a compact package for storage andshipment.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification, and of which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the container or garment bag inaccordance with my invention with the opening opened for the receptionor removal of garments;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1, but with the openingclosed;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of certain parts of the container;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the supporting frame of thecontainer;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale showing a detailof construction of the frame; and

Fig. 7 is a view on an enlarged scale showing another detail of theconstruction of the frame.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, reference character 10 designatesgenerally a container or envelope made of flexible material which ispreferably transparent and impervious with respect to the fumigant gaswhich is employed to protect the contents of the envelope from damage byclothes moths or the like. The best and most common fumigant for thispurpose is paradichlorobenzene. If this is the fumigant to be used, thecontainer may be made of a film of polyvinyl alcohol, which is a cleartransparent material substantially impervious to the passagetherethrough of paradichlorobenzene gas.. This envelope may be made of asingle sheet of this material folded along the bottom edge 12, with theremaining side edges 14 and 16 and the top edge 18 secured together inany suitable manner so as to form a container having two side walls andfront, rear and top walls.

In one of the side walls 20 there is formed an elongated I opening 22having any desired extent, but preferably about three quarters of thevertical extent of the side wall. Suitable means are provided formechanically closing this opening, such as snap fasteners or a slidefastener 24. However, a slide fastener does not provide a fumiganttightclosure for the opening, inasmuch as the gas may pass between themechanically interlocked fingers of the fastener, and thus escape fromthe container.

Adjacent and parallel to this opening the end wall of versely (see Fig.5) to render it substantially rigid with respect to twisting about anaxis parallel to its lengthwise extent, while at the same time beingflexible and easily bendable about an axis at right angles thereto. Ahand grip member 30 may be secured to the upper end of the strip 28 and,as is shown more particularly in Fig. 5, this member is formed with anarcuate recess 32 for receiving the end of the dished strip, the memberbeing secured to the strip by means of a rivet or the like 34.

Disposed within the upper part of the container is a distensible andcollapsible frame designated generally by reference character 36. Thisframe includes a bar-like member 38 which extends centrally along thetop wall of the container. Bar 38 may be made of sheet metal with theedges formed as flanges 39 in order to provide rigidity. Pivotallyconnected to this bar is a pair of frame members 40, the pivotalconnection being shown more particularly in Fig. 6, where it will beseen that a portion 41 of flange 39 near the end of the bar 38 is curvedupwardly to embrace the end of the frame member. As is clear from Fig.3, these frame members may be folded together so as to occupy minimumspace during storage.

Each frame member 40 is provided centrally with a projection 42 which isreceived in a recess 44 formed in the end of a spreader member 46. As isshown, this spreader is generally of triangular shape and is formed witha plurality of openings 48 adapted to receive the hooks 50 of coathangers for supporting garments in the container;

The spreader is preferably made of sheet metal with two of its edgesrolled over to form the recesses 44. Secured to the top of the spreaderin any suitable manner, as by spot welding indicated by 52, is astirrup-shaped member 54 within which is secured an internally threadedmember or nut 56. As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 7, lips 58 are crimped overfrom the stirrup member 54 in order to secure the nut '56 to thestirrup. The bar 38 is formed with a centrally located aperture 60. Athreaded rod 62 formed with an eye atits outer end extends through asmall opening formed in the top seam 18 of the flexible container andthrough the hole 60 in the bar 38 for threaded engagement with thethreaded member 56. A hook 64 for supporting the entire container from aclothes pole or the like is connected to the eye of rod 62. Also, a rod66 is connected to this eye and is formed at its opposite end with arectangular shaped eye 68. Rod 66 has a length a little greater thanhalf the length of bar 38.

It will be noted that the load resulting from clothes on hangerssuspended from the openings 48 in spreader 46 is transmitted through thelatter and through rod 62 directly to hook 64, without being applied tothe frame members 40 or the bar 38. Consequently, these members and thebar may be of much lighter construction than would be necessary if theywere required to carry this load.

Inasmuch as paradichlorobenzene gas is heavier than air, the crystalsfrom which this gas sublimates should preferably be located near the topof the container in order to obtain as uniform as possible distributionof the gas therein. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one or more strips 70 arelooped over one or both of the frames 46. Secured to each strip is aplurality of small bags or containers 72 which containparadichlorobenzene crystals. These containers are made of a materialwhich is pervious with respect to the gas, such as cloth. However, theymay be also made of a transparent material which at the same time ispervious to the gas, such as polyvinyl chloride. it is advantageous touse transparent material in order that the user may at all times observethe amount of crystals remaining in the bags 72.

The above-identified device is used as follows:

With the container in the condition shown in Fig. 1, clothing or otherarticles to be stored may be readily introduced thereinto through theopening 22. The clothing is preferably placed on hangers which may besuspended in the openings 48 in the spreader 46, as shown in Fig. 2.Additional articles, such as blankets or the like, may be folded andplaced in the bottom of the container. Thereupon, the slide fastener 24is manipulated to mechanically close the opening 22. However, aspreviously stated, this does not provide a gastight seal for theopening. In order to accomplish the provision of such a seal, the handle30 at the upper end of the strip is grasped and rotated so as to roll upthe material of the end wall 20, which includes the opening 22, aroundthe strip, as is shown in Fig. 2. In order to retain the wall in thisrolled up condition, the eye 68 of rod 66 is placed over the handle 30,thus preventing rotation of the strip. Due to the fact that thecontainer itself is made of material which is impervious to the fumigantgas and the opening 22 is substantially completely sealed. by rollingthe wall 20 up around the strip 28, there is practically no losswhatsoever of fumigant and consequently clothing and the like may bestored for an indefinite period of time.

Even though it is the rolling up of the wall, rather than the closing ofthe slide fastener, which produces a gastight closure of the opening,provision of the slide fastener is desirable because, with an opening ofthe length required in a garment bag, ditficulty might be experienced inproperly rolling up the wall on both sides of the opening if the edgesof the wall bounding the opening were not held together.

In order to remove a garment from the container, it is merely necessaryto disengage the rod 66 from the strip, unroll the side wall 20 and openthe slide fastener. Whenever the container is open, a certain amount offumigant gas will escape and eventually all the crystals within the bags72 will be used up. When this occurs, a new strip of material 70 withfull bags 72 attached thereto may be hung over the frame members.

In order to collapse the supporting frame 36 for storing the containerin a minimum space, the projections 42 may be withdrawn from therecesses 44 by slightly springing the frame members 40. Thereupon thespreader 46 may be turned through 90 so as to extend parallel to the bar38 and the frame members 40 pivoted towards each other so that theentire frame lies in practically a single plane. The strip 28 may beWithdrawn from the pocket 26 and the fiexible material of the containerfolded around the frame member. The garment bag may then be packed in asuitable cardboard box or the like. Due to the fact that the strip maybe bent about an axis transverse to its lengthwise extent, this stripmay be curled up so as to extend around the inside of the box.

While I have shown and described one more or less specific embodiment ofmy invention, it is to be understood that this has been done for thepurpose of illustration only and that my invention is not to be limitedthereby, but is to be interpreted as broadly as the appended claimspermit.

What I claim is:

l. A garment bag comprising a container made of flexiblefumigant-impervious material having side walls and a closed top andbottom, a frame positioned in the top of the bag, one of said side wallsextending outwardly be yond the frame and formed with an elongatedlongitudinal opening therein, means for releasably securing the oppositeedges of said opening together, and means for rolling up the material ofsaid container adjacent to and including said opening to provide afumigant tight seal therefor.

2. A garment bag comprising a container made of flexiblefumigant-impervious material having side walls and a closed top andbottom, a frame positioned in the top of the bag, one of said side wallsformed with an elongated opening therein, means for releasably securingthe op- 1 posite edges of said opening together, and an elongated stripsecured to the material of the container beyond the frame adjacent andsubstantially parallel to said opening and having one end free of saidmaterial and forming a handle portion, said strip being substantiallyrigid with respect to twisting about an axis parallel to its lengthwiseextent and being rotatable by said handle portion about said axis ofsaid strip to roll thereon said material adjacent to and including saidopening to provide a fumigant tight seal therefor.

3. A garment bag comprising a container made of flexiblefumigant-impervious material formed with an elon gated opening in a wallthereof, means for releasably securing the opposite edges of saidopening together, and an elongated resilient metal strip secured to thematerial of the container adjacent and substantially parallel to saidopening and having one end free of said material and forming a handleportion, said strip being dished transversely to render it substantiallyrigid with respect to twisting about an axis parallel to its lengthwiseextent, said strip being rotatable by said handle portion about saidaxis of said strip to roll thereon said material adjacent to andincluding said opening to provide a fumigant tight seal therefor.

4. A garment bag comprising a container made of flexiblefumigant-impervious material formed with an elongated opening in a wallthereof, means for releasably securing the opposite edges of saidopening together, an elongated strip secured to the material of thecontainer adjacent and substantially parallel to said opening and havingone end free of said material and forming a handle portion, said stripbeing substantially rigid with respect to twisting about an axisparallel to its lengthwise extent and being rotatable by said handleportion about said axis of said strip to roll thereon said materialadjacent to and including said opening to provide a fumigant tight sealtherefor, and means carried by said container and engageable with saidhandle portion for restraining rotation of said strip.

5. A garment bag comprising a container made of flexiblefumigant-impervious material formed with an elongated opening in a wallthereof, means for releasably securing the opposite edges of saidopening together, an elongated pocket open at one end on said containeradjacent and substantially parallel to said opening, and an elogatedstrip in said pocket with one end thereof extending out through the openend of said Pocket to provide a handle portion, said strip beingsubstantially rigid with respect to twisting about an axis parallel toits lengthwise extent and being rotatable by said handle portion aboutsaid axis to roll up the material adjacent to and including said openingto provide a fumigant tight seal therefor.

6. A garment bag comprising a container made of flexiblefumigant-impervious material formed with an elongated opening in a wallthereof, means for releasably securing the opposite edges of saidopening together, an elongated pocket open at one end on said containeradjacent and substantially parallel to said opening, an elongated stripin said pocket with one end thereof extending out through the open endof the pocket and providing a handle portion, said strip beingsubstantially rigid with respect to twisting about an axis parallel toits lengthwise extent and being rotatable by said handle portion aboutsaid axis to roll up the material adjacent to and including said openingto provide a fumigant tight seal therefor, and a member movablyconnected to said container and engageable with said handle portion forrestraining rotation of said strip.

7. A garment bag comprising a container having top, bottom and sidewalls made of flexible furnigant-tight material, a frame disposed withinthe upper part of said container for holding said side walls in spacedrelationship, one of said side walls being formed with an elongatedopening, means for releasably connecting opposite edges of said openingtogether, an elongated strip secured to the said one side wall adjacentand substantially parallel to said opening, said strip being rotatableabout its lengthwise axis to roll up the material adjacent to andincluding said opening to provide a furnigant-tight seal therefor, a rodconnected to said frame and having its outer end extending through saidtop wall, and a mernber movably secured to the outer end of said rod andsecurable to said strip to restrain rotation of the latter.

8. A garment bag comprising a container having top, bottom and sidewalls made of flexible fumigant-tight material, a frame disposed withinthe upper part of said container for holding said side walls in spacedrelationship, one of said side walls being formed with an elongatedopening, means for releasably connecting opposite edges of said openingtogether, an elongated pocket open at its upper end on said one sidewall adjacent and substantially parallel to said opening, an elongatedstrip in said pocket with the upper end thereof extending out throughthe open end of the pocket, said strip being rotatable to roll up thematerial adjacent to and including said opening to provide afumigant-tight seal therefor, a rod connected to said frame and havingits outer end extending through said top wall, and a member movablysecured to the outer end of said rod and formed with an eye forreceiving the upper end of said strip to restrain rotation of the strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 65,176Crowell May 28, 1867 642,302 Davis Jan. 30, 1900 675,415 Sansone June 4,1901 1,799,190 Wilson Apr. 7, 1931 2,236,115 Schwartzman Mar. 25, 19412,262,554 Quapaw Nov. 11, 1941 2,481,102 Frost Sept. 6, 1949 2,534,380Schwartzman Dec. 19, 1950 2,547,530 Mehl Apr. 3, 1951 n M ms

